Fish capture by country

Banning fishing in certain areas may be the only way give stocks a chance to recover

A fishing boat heads out to sea at Eyemouth harbour, in the Scottish Borders. Photograph: David Cheskin/PA

Excessive levels of fishing threaten the exhaustion of many fish stocks. More than 40% of the world's fishing is not carried out sustainably and defies many countries' codes of conduct. Scientists and conservation groups warn that a third of the world's oceans must have a fishing ban in order to give depleted stocks a chance to regenerate.

China rakes in the largest amount of fish each year, with 17,053,191 metric tonnes captured in 2005. In 1950, it captured only 880,139 metric tonnes, which was substantially less than the UK that year. However, between 1950 and 2005 the amount of fish captured annually in the UK has decreased by 232,340 metric tonnes - a result of the UK's increasing reliance on imported fish.